Fur hairing machine



Aug. 17, 1937. J. GOLDING FUR HAIRING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet l Unveil or Aug. 17, 1937.

J. GOLDING FUR HAIRING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1935 v 2 Sheets-Sheet?Patented Aug. 17, 1937 FUR HAIRING MACHINE Julius Golding, Toronto,Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to Unity Machine Corporation, Newark, N. J a corporation of NewJersey Application July 19, 1935, Serial No. 32,140

13 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for cutting off short the longerstiff hairs which are associated in some pelts with softer or shorterhairs. In such machines as are now on the market the pelts are pinned inclose succession to a travelling canvas conveyor and are sharply bentround the edge of a fixed bar which thus fans out the hairs. At thispoint the travel of the pelt is V temporarily stopped and the hairs aresubjected I fastening operations.

' to the action of a rotating brush which lays down the hairs in thedirection in which the pelt has been travelling. The brush is thenwithdrawn from contact with the hair and at the same time .a rotarycutter is brought into action and the hard hairs which spring up againafter the brush has acted on them are trimmed off. The cutter is thenwithdrawn, the pelt is again temporarily put in motion and the rotarybrush brought into action again when the forward movement is againstopped. This succession of operations continues till the pelt or peltsare completely trimmed.

In such older machines considerable time and labor are expended inpinning the pelts to the 'canvas conveyor, and one object of myinvention is to devise conveying means such that it is merely necessaryto place the pelts in fixed positions on a belt conveyor without goingthrough As pelts differ in length with such an arrangement there may beblank spaces left on the conveyor canvas between pelts Where no work isdone, resulting in a time loss, and another object I have in mind is toautomatically speed up the travel of the conveyor canvas at such timesas blank spaces are passing the point where trimming is effected.

In the older machines the rotary brush which lays down the hair contactsbut briefly with the pelt at the trimming point whereas I have found'that much better results are obtained, particularly when using my formof conveyor belt, if the brush travels for an appreciable distance incontact with the pelt after the pelt has passed the trimming point tomore effectively lay down the soft hairs, and a third object of myinvention is to provide such a movement for the brush.

I attain my object by means of the construc- Fig. 1 is a side elevationof my improved machine:-

Fig. 2 a plan view of the same from which the brush mechanism has beenomitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 a detail in side elevation of part of the (Cl. Mil-28) Fig; 4 adetail in plan showing the clutch mechanism for starting and stoppingthe reciprocatory movements of the rotary trimmer to and from theoperating point;

Fig. 5 a horizontal section of part of the clutch mechanism which isshown in plan in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 a vertical section on line 66 in Fig. 4.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different figures.

Referring to the drawings, I is the frame of the machine suitably shapedto support the different parts. This frame carries the stationary bar 2formed with a thin edge round which passes the conveyor belt 3, whichalso passes round the rollers i, 5 and the tightening roller 6. Theroller 5 is the drive roller and is actuated intermittently ashereinafter described.

The conveyor belt 3 is preferably of canvas, and to it are secured atregular intervals the transverse flaps l' which, on the upper part ofthe belt, have their free edges directed rearwardly having reference tothe direction of travel 7 of the belt towards the bar 2. The forwardedges of the pelts to be trimmed are inserted beneat these flaps on theupper part of the belt.

To securely hold the pelts in place before, dur. ing and aftertreatment, I provide auxiliary conveyor belts 8 and 9, whichrespectively pass round the drive rollers Hi and II and the idlerrollers i2 and E3. The under side of the belt 8 extends in closeparallelism with the upper part of the belt 3 from a point close to theedge of the bar 2 some distance back therefrom. Almostfat the bend aspring pressed roller M holds the belt 3 or a pelt thereon firmlypressedtowards the bar 2 and holds down the fur on the pelt to give the rotarybrush it a better opportunity to act on the fur which has escaped fromunder the roller. The upper side of the belt 9 extends in closeparallelism with the under side of the belt. 3 from a point sufiicientlyfar from the edge of the bar 2 to leave a short substantially straightpart of the belt 3 exposed'and runs back to aflconvenient point fordischarging the pelts.

To increase the grip of the auxiliary belts on the pelts, placed on theconveyor belt 3, the, belts '8 and 9 are provided with projecting spikes1.5. A pair of pressure rollers 61 are provided between These rollers"are positioned just before v the initial point of enwhich the conveyorbelt 3 passes.

gagement ofthe upper. auxiliary belt therewith.

These rollers serve to flatten out the pelts before they pass betweenthe two belts.

The drive rollers I9 and H for the belts 8 and 9 are driven insynchronism with the roller 5 as hereinafter described.

The fur on pelts passing round the edge of the bar 2 is fanned out bythe bend and is then subjected to the action of a rotary brush 16. Thisbrush, while the belt 3 is stationary, is presented to the fur at thebend and is then drawn down to pass under the bend and to travelparallel to proper direction. 7 f

and substantially in contact with the fur where the latter is exposed atthe underside of the bar. After this short period of parallelism thebrush is completely withdrawn more particularly to avoid interferencewith other parts.

During its travelling movement the brush is rotated to brush down thefur in a direction away from the bend. The stiffer hairs Which it isdesired to cut off, however, spring up again 7 at the bend into the pathof a rotary cutter 17 which is presented atthe bend while the belt 3 isstationary and when the brush I6 is withdrawn. 7

The rotary cutter comprises the stationary knife I! and the rotary blade[1 which are carried by the vertical slide l8 suitably guided on theframe of the machine.

The driving means for the conveyor belts will now be described.Journalled in. the frame I is a main drive shaft I9 which may be drivenin any suitable manner, as, for instance, by belt from a line shaft.This shaft carries a crank disk 20 which actuates a connecting rod 2|,the other end of which is pivotally connected to a rock arm 22journalled concentric with a ratchet wheel 23. This ratchet wheel ispickedby a pawl 24 pivoted on'the arm 22 and by means of the gearing 25drives the roller 5 in a clockwise direction. The pawl and ratchet wheelform in effect an over-running clutch.

The roller 5 has also secured thereto a sprocket wheel 26 which isconnected by a sprocket chain 2 with a sprocket wheel 28 having a geareddriving connection with the drive roller ll of the belt 9. From theroller H the roller I9 is driven by sprocket gearing 23 to rotate in thesame direction as the roller I l. driven inermittently in synchronismand in the The rotary brush is supported and guidedv by the followingmeans. Anarm 34 roughly parallels the under side of the belt 9; At oneend of this arm the brush is journalled. The other end of the arm ispivotally connected to the upper end of the'rocker arm 35 fulcrumedbetween its ends on the shaft 33. Tothe lower end of the rocker arm 35is pivoted one end of a' slotted linki36, the slotted .partembracing ashaft 31 on which is secured the-'cam 38 which engages a projection 39on the link. When the cam is driven, the arm 34 is thus reciprocated.

A spring 65 serves to resiliently hold the projection 39 inengagement-with the cam. The arm 34 is'guided by means of a stationaryslotted guide 49 into the slot 4| of which the projection 42 on the arm34 is fitted. This slot is so shaped that, when the arm.34 is moved tothe right, the brush first moves towards the work, then substantiallyparallel to it, and finally round the bend at the edge of the bar 2.When thearm is 1 moved'to the left the movement of the brush is, V ofcourse, reversed.

{This movement 'is'important since, when the brush is moving to theright parallel to the work, ittendsto'hold the flaps 'l. and the peltsagainst Thus all the belts are the belt 3 and, when moving back, themovement of translation helps the rotary movement to lay down the fur.

The rotary brush is rotated and the cam 38 driven by the followingmeans. On the drive shaft I9 is secured a sprocket wheel 39, which, bymeans of a chain 3|, drives a sprocket wheel 32 fast on the shaft 33.This shaft, by sprocket gearing 43, drives a sprocket wheel 44concentric with the pivotal connection between the arms 34 and 35. Thesprocket wheel 44, by means of sprocket gearing 45, drives the rotarybrush, which rotates continuously while the machine is running. The cam38 must be driven in time with the conveyor belts, though notnecessarily intermittently and this may be effected by driving it bysprocket gearing 46 from the shaft 33, which in turn is driven from thedrive shaft IS.

The rotary cutter l1 requires to be presented to the work when the brushis withdrawn from the bend at theedge of the bar 2. Forthis purpose Iprovide-the suitably fulcrumed bell crank lever 47, one endof which isconnected, by means of a pin and slot connection, with the slide l8,while the other end is pivotally connected with one end of an eccentricrod 48 actuated by the eccentric 49 connected by a positive clutch 59with the drive shaft l9.

As long as the clutch is engaged, the rotary cutter will be reciprocatedto and from the work in synchronism with the movements of the rotarybrush.

The rotary knife of the cutter I1 is driven by sprocket gearing 66 fromthe shaft l9.

To drive the conveyor belts continuously when V the blank spaces arepresented at or adjacent to the trimming point I provide the followingmechanism. An electric motor 5| is belted to. a pulley 52 on the shaftof the drive roller 5. In the pulley 52 is an overrunning clutch (notshown) which permits of the intermittent movements of the roller whenthe motor 5| is not running.

The circuit 53 of the motor includes a switch a of which 54 is thestationary contact and 55 the movable contact. The latter is formed asan arm fulcruined between. 'its ends. The upper end of the contact arm55 is connected by a pin-andslot connection with the lower end of thefinger 55 which is fulcrumed between its ends and at its upper end bearsagainst the belt 3 or a pelt thereon below the bar 2. A spring 51tendsto to'rnove the finger to throw the contact arm to close the switchand energize the motor.

As long as there is a pelt beneath the end of the finger 56 the switchremains open, but as soon as ablank space comes beneath the finger endthe finger is free to rock and close the switch. 4

The conveyors are then continuously driven till the end of a pelt ismoved under the finger and opens the switch. As it is desirable to stopthe reciprocating movements of therotary cutter when the conveyor'beltsare operating continuously, I provide the following .mechanism. Theclutch 59 comprises a member 58 loose on the. drive shaft and a member59 fixed on the shaft. A spring actuated sliding bolt 60 iscartheadjacent face of the member 59.

and the side of the member 59 there may beintroduced a wedge 62 which,as the clutch members rotate, williorce back the bolt and stop the driveof the member 59 till the wedge is withdrawn. I

The wedge is carried .0 1 a arm 63 pivoted maintain the finger incontact with the'belt and V between its ends, the outer end of the armbeing connected to the core of a solenoid 64 included in the circuit ofthe motor 5!. Thus, when the motor is started, the solenoid is energizedand the wedge 62 is moved into the path of the projection 6i and thusdisengages the clutch 5i] and stops the drive of the positioningmeans ofthe rotary cutter till the motor circuit is again broken. The bolt 60 isso positioned relative to the eccentric that, when the reciprocatingmovement of the rotary cutter is stopped, the cutter will be left in itsinoperative position.

The operation of the machine is as follows. Assuming the drive shaft 19to be driven, the conveyor belts are intermittently driven. The operatorthen positions pelts on the belt 3 with their edges beneath the flaps I.The pelts are thus carried forward intermittently beneath the belt 8 andbent round the bar 2. While the work is stationary the rotary brush isadvanced to a position to brush down the fur adjacent the bend and thenwithdrawn to allow the rotary cutter to be brought to the same positionand then retracted. While the brush and cutter are moving away from theworking position the belt moves to bring forward a fresh portion of apelt and the operations of the brush and knife are repeated. Thissequence of operations goes on as long as pelts are presented at theworking position substantially without a break but, as soon as a blankspace on the belt 3 comes beneath the finger 58, the motor is energizedand the belts driven continuously, preferably at high speed till suchtime as the blank space on the belt 3 has passed the finger, thuscompensating to a considerable extent for the Waste of time in theoperation of the machine due to the fact that the pelts are notpositioned on the belt 3 substantially in contact end to end. During thecontinuous operation of the belts the 4 rotary cutter remains out ofaction.

versely thereof and each adapted to receive the edge of a pelt beneathit; supporting and guiding means for the belt adapted to bend it and apelt thereon sharply round the edge of the said bar; a rotary brush; arotary cutter; means for intermittently moving the conveyor belt; meansfor .alternately presenting the brush and the cutter to the peltsubstantially at the point where it is bent round the bar and while thepelt is substantially stationary; endless auxiliary belts suitablysupported and guided to engage the surfaces of the pelts on the mainbelt both before and after they reach thebar to hold them firmly inposition on said main belt ;and a pair of pressure rollers, betweenwhich the conveyor belt passes, and which are positioned just'before theinitial point of engagement of the upper auxiliary belt therewith.

2. A pelt trimming machine comprising a thin edged bar; a flexibleconveyor belt for pelts; flexible flaps connected to the conveyor belttransversely thereof and each adapted to receive the edge of a peltbeneath it; supporting and guiding means for the belt adapted to bend itand a pelt thereon sharply round the edge of the said bar; a rotarybrush; a rotary cutter; means for intermittently moving the conveyorbelt; means for alternately presenting the brush and the cutter to thepelt substantially at the point where it is bent round the bar'and whilethe pelt is substantially stationary; and endless them firmly inposition on said main belt, the

auxiliary belts being provided with a series of prongs to positivelyengage the pelts.

3. A pelt trimming machine comprising a thin edged bar; a flexibleconveyor belt for pelts; supporting and guiding means for the beltadapted to bend it and a pelt thereon sharply round the edge of the saidbar; a rotary brush; a rotary cutter; means for intermittently moving,the conveyor belt; and means for alternately presenting the brush andthe cutter to the pelt substantially at the point where it is bent roundthe bar and While the pelt is substantially stationary, the brushpresenting means including means to cause the brush, when beingretracted veyor belt; and means for alternately presenting the brush andthe cutter to the pelt substantially at the point where it is bent roundthe bar and while the pelt is substantially stationary, the brushpresenting means including meansto cause the brush, when being retractedfrom engagement with a pelt, to first move round the bend of the pelt atthe edge of the bar and then move for a short distance parallel'to andin contact with the pelt surface which has passed the bend, and finallywithdraw substantially entirely from contact with the pelt, the returnbeing in the reverse order. I

= 5. In a pelt trimming machine the'combination of a bar; a flexibleconveyor belt for peltsy supporting and guiding means for the beltadapted to bend it and a pelt thereon sharply round the edge of the saidbar; a rotary brush for brushing the pelt at or near the bend; an armsubstantially paralleling the portion of the conveyor belt which hasjust passed the bend and on one end of which the brush is journalled; arocker arm pivoted at one .end on a stationary support and at the otherto the brush carrying arm; means for oscillating the rocker arm toreciprocate the brush carrying arm; a' stationary cam groove; aprojection on said brush carrying arm engaging in the groove whereby,when the arm is reciprocated, it is also rocked onthe rocker arm and theposition of the brush in a direction to-and-from the peltf' surfacevariedj' means for intermittently driving the conveyor belt; andconnections wherebythe driving means for the rocker arm and the conveyorbelt are synchronized'sothat the brush is operative on edge of the saidbar; a rotary brush for brushing the pelt at or near the bend; an armsubstantially paralleling the portion of the cone veyor belt which hasjust passed the bend and on one end of which the brush is journalled; arocker arm pivoted atone end on a stationary support and atthe other tothe brush carrying arm; means for oscillating the rocker arm toreciprocate the brush carrying arm; a stationary cam groove; aprojection on said brush carrying arm engaging in the groove whereby,when the arm is reciprocated, it is also rocked on the rocker arm andthe position of the brush in a direction to-and-from the pelt surfacevaried; means for intermittently driving the conveyor belt; connectionswhereby the driving means for the rocker arm and the conveyor belt aresynchronized so that the brush is operative on the pelt while theconveyor belt is stationary; a rotary cutter; and means for moving thecutter toand-from a position to' operate on the pelt at the bendsynchronized to cause the operation of-the cutter and brush to alternatewhile the conveyor is stationary.

7. A pelt trimming machine comprising a thin edged bar; a flexibleconveyor belt for pelts; supporting and guiding means for the beltadapted to bend it and a pelt thereon sharply round the edge of the saidbar; holding means for pelts on the belt at fixed intervals wherebyblank spaces will be left on the vbelt between short pelts;

means for efiecting an intermittent drive of the belt at normaloperatingspeed including an. over- .running clutch; normallynon-operating means for driving the belt continuously, also including anover-running clutch; means for trimming the pelt at the bend; and meansfor conditioning the continuous drive for operation including a fingerwhose position is determined by the passage under it of blank spaces orpelts, continuous drive taking place when a blank spaceis under thefinger.

. 8. A pelt trimming machine comprising a thin edged'bar; a flexibleconveyor belt for pelts; supporting and guiding means for the beltadapted to bent it and a pelt thereon sharply round the edge of the saidbar; holding means for pelts on the belt at fixed intervals wherebyblank spaces will be left on the belt between short pelts; means foreffecting an intermittent drive of the belt at normaloperating speedincluding an over-running clutch; normally non-operating means fordriving the belt continuously, also including an over-running clutch; arotary cutter; means for presenting the cutter to the pelt substantiallyat the bend while the belt is stationary and withdrawing it while thebelt is moving; means for conditioning the continuous drive foroperation including a finger whose position is determined by the passageunder it of blank spaces or pelts,

continuous drive taking place when a blank space is under the finger;and means for inhibiting the presentation movement of the cutter whilethe belt is being continuously driven.

9. A pelt trimming machine comprising a thin edged bar; a'flexibleconveyor belt for pelts; supporting and guiding means forthe beltadapted to bend it and a pelt thereon sharply round the edge of the saidbar; holding means for pelts on the belt at fixed intervals comprisingflexible flaps connected to the conveyor belttransversely thereof bytheir forward edges, having reference to the direction of travelof thebelt; means for eifecting an intermittent drive of the belt; a rotarybrush; and means for presenting the brush to the pelt substantially atthe point where it is bent round the bansaid brush presenting meansbeing adapted when the belt is moving to move the brush along and incontact with a portion of the belt or a pelt which'has passed the bend,

and thereafter when the belt is stationary to re- 7 turn along the samepath. I

10. A pelt trimming machine comprising a thin edged bar; a flexibleconveyor belt for pelts; flexible flaps connected to the conveyor belttransversely thereof and each adapted to receive the edge of a peltbeneath it; supporting and guiding means for the belt adapted to bend itand a pelt thereon sharply round theedge of the said bar; a rotarybrush; a rotary cutter; means for intermittently moving the conveyorbelt; and

means for alternately presenting the brush and rying pelts; means forbrushing the pelt; means for cutting the coarse hairs of the pelts;means on the conveyor in predetermined positions for engaging the leadends of the pelts; and means for automatically speeding up theconveyorwhen a pelt has been trimmed to present a fresh pelt to the brushing andcutting means. 1

12. A pelt trimming machine comprising a normally intermittentlydrivenconveyor for carry 'ing pelts; means for brushing the -pelt;"means forcutting, the coarse hairs of the peltsymeans tn;

the conveyor in predetermined positions for en gaging the lead ends ofthe pelts; means for automatically speeding up the conveyor'whn a peltbrushingand cutting means; and means for automatically throwing thecutting'meansqout;

of action when the conveyor is speededupj has been trimmed to presentafresh pelt'to the 13. A pelt trimming machinecomprising a bar having athin edge; a normally intermittently driven conveyor for carrying peltsaround the said. thin' edge; a reciprocating bar; a'rotary brush carriedby the reciprocating bar; means for cutting the coarse hairs ofthepelts; and,

means for guiding the reciprocating bar so that the brush follows theunderside of the thin edged bar as it moves towards and away from thesaid thin edge.

JULIUS GOLDING.

